Antoni Wit leads a beautifully played rendition of Richard Strauss’ Symphonia domestica with the Staatskapelle Weimar. The orchestra clearly knows this music well, and its playing–especially from the woodwinds and strings–is as colorful as Strauss could wish for, producing vivid characterizations of the composer’s family and home life. Wit knows this music quite well himself, clearly evident in his assured navigation through the busy and multilayered score.
However, I often found myself wishing he’d get a little more pep in his step, especially in the more dramatic passages. The love scene doesn’t really get heated until just before the climax. Likewise in the (really) long Finale, the celebration is a bit lacking in zest. Listen to Szell with Cleveland, and especially Sawallisch with Philadelphia and you’ll hear the passion and exuberance that’s missing with Wit (of course, some families prefer to keep such emotions on a tight leash).
In Metamorphosen Wit again proves himself a master of the Strauss idiom as he brilliantly captures the sound and feel of the piece. The multiple melodic strands of the 23 strings sound clearly in this performance, and the composer’s deep emotion comes through convincingly. Still, as with Domestica’s love scene, the animated central section could do with a bit more thrust, which would draw a greater dramatic contrast (Karajan is exceptional in this regard). Nonetheless, both performances have their own pleasures, especially with Naxos’ richly detailed recording (made in the acoustically resplendent Weimarhalle) providing such beguiling aural stimulation. Recommended.
